Fastening means for fastening a protective sheet material to a scaffold or a similar frame structure

ABSTRACT

A fastening means for fastening a protective or covering sheet material, such as plastic film or textile material, to a scaffold or another frame structure is formed like a strip or band having a film-piercing pointed end and an adjacent barb-like member. The opposite end portion having aplurality of resilient, longitudinally spaced barb-like projections may be passed through an opening or slot in the band-like member. When the sheet material is to be fastened to the scaffold the sheet material is punctured by means of the pointed end. The head formed by the pointed end by the barb-like member is then passed through the opening thus formed in the sheet material. Thereafter the strip member is passed around an adjacent element of the scaffold and inserted through an opening formed in the strip member. The connection thus formed between the sheet material and the scaffold may now be tightened up by pulling the free end of the strip member in the direction indicated by an arrow.

The present invention relates to a fastening a protectiveor a coveringsheet material, such as a plastic film or a textile material, to ascaffold or a similar frame structure.

When buildings are being renovated or repaired a scaffold is normallybuilt up along the outer walls of the building, and the outer side ofthe scaffold is may be covered by a reinforced plastic film or a textileor fabric like material. The purpose of such protective sheet materialis partly to prevent dust and other foreign matter from spreading to thesurrounding area, and party to protect the building and the personsworking on the scaffold against bad weather conditions. Up till now,such protective sheet material has normally been fastened to scaffoldsby means of an anchor-like fastening means comprising an elongatedmember having a transverse abutting member at one end and a hook memberat the other end. From the scaffold side of the protective sheetmaterial, the abutting member end of the fastening means may then beinserted through a suitably preformed opening in the sheet material sothat the abutting member is brought into abutting engagement with theouter surface of the sheet material. The hook member of the fasteningmeans located at the inner side of the protective sheet material may nowbe fastened to the scaffold by means of a separate rubber band. When theouter walls of a large building is to be covered in this manner, a largenumber of fastening means and corresponding rubber bands must be used.As the mounting of each fastening means involves several steps, namelypreforming an opening in the protective sheet material, insertion of theabutting member of the fastening means through such opening andfastening of the hook member of the fastening means to the scaffold bymeans of a rubber band, which must be wound around a scaffold member oneor more times to obtain a suitable tautness, the conventional method ofmounting a protective sheet is rather time consuming.

The present invention provides a fastening means allowing fastening of aprotective sheet material to a scaffold or a similar frame structure ina substantially simpler and easier manner.

The fastening means according to the invention is of the above typecomprising an elongated member to be inserted through an opening in theprotective sheet material and having a transverse member at one endthereof for engaging with the side surface of the sheet material locatedopposite to the frame structure, the other end portion of the elongatedmember being adapted to be fastened to the frame structure, and thefastening means according to the invention is characterized in that theelongated member has a sheet penetrating pointed end, the transversemember being a barb-like member arranged at that end.

The fastening means according to the invention renders it possible tofasten a covering sheet material to a scaffold or another framestructure in a very simply manner eliminating the need of performingopenings in the sheet material. Thus, from the scaffold's side theprotective sheet material may be penetrated by the pointed end of theelongated member and the barb-like member may be inserted through theopening thus formed. The barb-like member may then abuttingly engagewith the outer side surface of the sheet material and prevent withdrawalof the fastening means from the sheet material. The other end of theelongated member of the fastening means may thereafter be fastened to anadjacent scaffold element in any suitable manner.

In the preferred embodiment, the elongated member is of the stripfastener type of adjustable length allowing a simple fastening of theelongated member to the scaffolds and subsequent tightening of thefastening means. Such strip fastener be of any conventional type, forexample as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,098,271, 3,365,753, 3,924,298,and 4,150,463, German Pat. No. 3,011,121, and German OffenlegungsschriftNo. 3,049,066. Thus, the elongated member may be a band or a stripmember having in one end portion thereof an opening for receiving theother end portion of the strip member, which is provided with barb-likeprojections for counteracting retraction of said other end from saidopening.

The barb-like projections counteracting retraction of said other endportion from the receiving opening may be of any suitable form. As anexample they may be in the form of serrations along the side edges ofthe band or strip member. In a preferred embodiment, however, thebarb-like projections are in the form of longitudinally spaced lugspunched from the band or strip member and extending from one of both ofthe opposite side surfaces of the band or strip member.

In principle, it is possible to form the receiving opening at the end ofthe elongated member opposite to the pointed end thereof. The band orstrip member may then be would around a scaffold element, whereafter thepointed end may be inserted through the receiving opening prior topiercing the sheet material by the pointed end. Thus, the band or stripmember is fastened to the scaffold prior to fastening it to the sheetmaterial, and then it is not possible to adjust the tautness of the bandor strip member. In a preferred embodiment, however, said end receivingopening is formed adjacent to said pointed end. It is then possiblefirst to insert the pointed end through the protective sheet materialand thereafter pass the band or strip member around a scaffold elementand insert the free end of the band or strip member through thereceiving opening whereafter the tautness of the band or strip membermay be adjusted as desired.

The end portion of the elongated member opposite to the pointed endthereof may define a longitudinally extending slot-like opening of asize allowing insertion therein of said pointed end and said barb-likemember of a similar fastening means. It is then possible to interconnecttwo or more fastening means so that they may function as a singlecombined fastening means. This may be advantageous in cases where thespacing between the protective sheet material and the adjacent scaffoldelements substantially exceeds the normal spacing.

Normally, the elongated member of the fastening means and the barb-likemember arranged at the pointed end thereof defines a relatively smallacute angle therebetween. Therefore, the elongated member may comprise ahinge portion positioned adjacent to the barb-like member and having ahinge axis extending transversely to the plane defined by the elongatedmember and the barb-like member. Such hinge portion, which may be anintegrally formed, easily bendable portion, allows the barb-like memberto attain a position in which it extends at substantially right anglesto the elongated member so as to better serve as transversed abutmentmember.

Adjacent edge portions of the barb-like member and the elongated member,respectively, may define an angular space therebetween, said edgeportions having serrations or barb means thereon pointing toward theapex of the angular space. Such serrations or barb means may beadvantageous when the protective sheet material consists of or includesa net-like structure, because the serrations or barb means may then tendto counteract disengagement between the net structure and the barb-liketransverse member when inserted therein.

The fastening means according to the invention may be made in anysuitable manner, for example by diescasting or any other kind ormoulding from plastic or rubber material. Alternatively, the fasteningmeans may be made by punching from a plate or sheet material, preferablyplastic or another polymer material, including hard rubber. However, thefastening means may also be punched from sheet metal.

The invention will now be further described with reference to thedrawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the fastening meansaccording to the invention,

FIG. 2 illustrates how a pointed end of the fastening means may bepassed through a protective or covering sheet material,

FIG. 3 illustrates how the opposite end portion of the strip-likefastening means may be passed through an opening formed adjacent to thepointed end,

FIG. 4 illustrates the same as FIG. 3 after passing a further length ofthe strip member through the receiving opening,

FIG. 5 illustrates how barb-like projections on the strip memberprevents retraction of the end portion from the receiving opening,

FIG. 6 shows how a reinforced plastic film may be fasted to a scaffoldelement by means of the fastening means according to the invention,

FIG. 7 shows how a plurality of fastening means may be arranged on acommon carrier strip,

FIG. 8 shows how two identical fastening means may be combined to asingle fastening means,

FIG. 9 is a side view of a second embodiment of the fastening meansaccording to the invention,

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate how the barb-like transverse member mayengage with a netlike structure forming the protective sheet material orbeing included therein, and

FIG. 12 illustrates how the barb-like member may serve as an abuttingmember.

FIG. 1 shows a strip or band-like fastening means 10 having a sheetpenetrating pointed end 11 and an oppositely directed barb-like member12. A transversely extending narrow opening or slit 14 is formed in awidened part 13. As best shown in FIG. 4, this corresponds to or exceedsthe width of an adjacent strip or band-like end portion. This endportion 15 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced, resilient lugs 16extending from one side surface thereof. In the embodiment shown in thedrawings these lugs 16 are punched from the band or strip shapedmaterial and bent so as to form an acute angle with the adjacent sidesurface of the band-like end portion and so as to point in the directionof the pointed end 11, vide FIGS. 4 and 5. The free end 17 of the stripor bandlike end portion 15 is shaped like an arrow and has a pair oflongitudinally extending slits 18 and 19 of different length formedtherein.

The fastening means shown in FIG. 1 may be used for fastening aprotective or covering sheet material, such as a fibre reinforcedplastic film 20, to a scaffold element 21 or the like, vide FIG. 6. Suchfastening operation may be as follows:

At first, the plastic film 20 is pierced by means of the pointed end 11,and the head of the fastening means formed by this pointed end and thebarb-like member 12 is passed through the opening thus formed in theplastic film. If desired, a reinforcing ring 23 may previously have beenmounted so as to encircle the area 22 to be punctured, vide FIG. 2. Thebarb-like member 12 may thereby be brought into engagement with theouter surface of the film 20, and the band or strip-like end portion 15may then be passed around the scaffold member 21 as shown in FIG. 6,whereafter the free end 17 is passed through the receiving opening 14 asillustrated in FIG. 3. The connection established between the plasticfilm and the scaffold member 21 may now be tightened up by pulling thefree end 17 in the direction indicated by an arrow 24 in FIG. 4, wherebya certain length of the strip-like end portion 15 is passed through theslit or opening 14. As best shown in FIG. 4 the lugs 16 allow movementof the end portion 15 through the opening 14 in the direction indicatedby the arrow 24, because the lugs may resiliently flex inwardly into theplane of the band-like end portion 15. However, the lugs 16 will preventretraction of the end portion 15 from the opening 14 by movement in theopposite direction indicated by an arrow 25 in FIG. 5, because the lugswill then function like barbs as illustrated in FIG. 5. Thus, as shownin FIG. 6 the connection between the plastic film 20 and the scaffoldelement 21 may be tightened as desired by pulling the free end 17 of theband or strip member in the direction illustrated by the arrow 24.

In case the film 20 is to be arranged at such a distance from thescaffold element 21 that the length of the fastening means 10 is notsufficient, it is possible to combine two fastening means 10 and 10' sothat they may serve as a single combined fastening means as shown inFIG. 8. This may be done by inserting the pointed end 11 and thebarb-like member 12 of the fastening means 10 through the slit 19 of thefastening means 10'.

In order to facilitate handling and transporting a plurality offastening means 10 before they are used they may be kept together bymeans of a carrier strip 26 which is passed through the openings orslots 14 of the fastening means 10 when arranged side by side, vide FIG.7. The carrier strip 26 may at each of its opposite ends be providedwith a resilient lug 27, which may be of the same type as the resilientlugs 16. These lugs prevent unintentional removal of the fastening means10 from the carrier strip 26 but allow such removal if a certainresistance provided by the lugs is overcome, or if one of the lugs ismanually depressed. It should be understood that the resilient lugs 27may be replaced by other kinds of resilient projections allowingthreading of fastening means 10 onto and removal of fastening means fromthe carrier strip by overcoming a certain resistance. The carrier strip26 may have an opening or slot 28 at one end for use in suspending thecarrier strip and the fastening means arranged thereon, or for bundlinga plurality of such carrier strips with fastening means.

FIG. 9 shows a modified embodiment of the fastening means 10 where theinner edge of the barb-like member 12 and the opposite edge portion ofthe strip-like member are provided with serrations or barb means 27pointing in the direction of the pointed end 11. The outer edge 28 ofthe barb-like member 12 and the adjacent outer edge portion 29 arebevelled so as to form sharp edges, so that the fastening means shown inFIG. 9 has a head like a spear head. The barb-like member 12 isconnected to the strip member 15 via a bendable hinge portion 30.

When the fastening means shown in FIG. 9 is used for fastening a sheetmaterial 31, which is formed by or which includes a net-like structure,the serrations or barb means 27 cooperate to secure a safe engagement ofthe head of the fastening means with the sheet material 31 asillustrated in FIG. 10 and 11. Furthermore, due to the hinge portion 30the barb-like member 12 may, alternatively, be in abutting engagementwith the outer side of the film or sheet material 20 and be moved to aposition in which it extends at sustantially right angles to the stripmember 15 when the strip member is tightened, vide FIG. 12.

I claim:
 1. A fastening means for fastening a protective sheet materialto a frame structure such as a scaffold, said fastening means being asubstantially flat, integral, strip-like member comprising:a pointedsheet-piercing first end to be inserted through the protective sheetmaterial, a barb-like member arranged adjacent to the pointed end forengaging with a side surface of the pierced sheet material so as tocounteract retraction of the pointed first end when inserted through thesheet material, said barb-like member extending in the substantiallysame general plane as the flat strip-like member, a second opposite endportion, which may be received in an opening defined in the strip-likemember so as to form a loop opening a part of the frame structure, andmeans for counteracting withdrawal of said second opposite end from saidopening.
 2. A fastening means according to claim 1, wherein the meansfor counteracting withdrawal to said second end portion from the endreceiving opening include barb-like projections provided on said secondend.
 3. A fastening means according to claim 2, wherein the barb-likeprojections are in the form of longitudinally spaced lugs punched fromthe strip-like member and extending from at least one of opposite sidesurfaces thereof.
 4. A fastening means according to claim 2, whereinsaid end receiving opening is defined adjacent to the pointed first end.5. A fastening means according to claim 1, wherein said second endportion of the strip-like member further defines a longitudinallyextending slot-like opening of a size allowing insertion therein of saidfirst pointed end and said barb-like member of another similar fasteningmeans, wherein two such fastening means may be combined so as to form acombined fastening means of an increased length.
 6. A fastening meansaccording to claim 1, further comprising a hinge portion interconnectingthe barb-like member and the first pointed end and having a hinge axisextending transversely to the common plane of the strip-like member andthe barb-like member.
 7. A fastening means according to claim 1, whereinadjacent edge portions of the barb-like member and the strip-likemember, respectively, define an angular space therebetween, said edgeportions having serrations thereon pointing toward an apex of theangular space.
 8. A fastening means according to claim 1 which has beenpunched from a sheet material made from plastic.
 9. A fastening meansaccording to claim 1 which has been molded from plastic material.
 10. Afastening means for fastening a protective sheet material to a framestructure such as a scaffold, said fastening means being a substantiallyflat, integral, strip-like member comprising:a pointed sheet-piercingfirst end to be inserted through the protective sheet material, abarb-like member arranged adjacent to the pointed end for engaging witha side surface of the pierced sheet material so as to counteractretraction of the pointed first end when inserted through the sheetmaterial, said barb-like member extending in substantially the samegeneral plane as the flat strip-like member, a hinge portioninterconnecting the barb-like and the first pointed end and having ahinge axis extending transversely to the common plane of the strip-likemember and the barb-like member, a second opposite end portion, whichmay be received in an opening defined in the strip-like member so as toform a loop around a part of the frame structure, and means forcounteracting withdrawal of said second opposite end from said opening.11. A fastening means according to claim 10, wherein the means forcounteracting withdrawal of said second end portion from the endreceiving opening include barb-like projections provided on said secondend.
 12. A fastening means according to claim 11, wherein the barb-likeprojections are the form of longitudinally spaced lugs punched from thestrip-like member and extending from at least one of opposite sidesurfaces thereof.
 13. A fastening means according to claim 11, whereinsaid end receiving opening is defined adjacent to the pointed first end.14. A fastening means according to claim 10, wherein said second endportion of the strip-like member further defines a longitudinallyextending slot-like opening of a size allowing insertion therein of saidfirst pointed end and said barb-like member of another similar fasteningmeans, wherein two such fastening means may be combined so as to form acombined fastening means of an increased length.
 15. A fastening meansaccording to claim 10, wherein adjacent edge portions of the barb-likemember and the strip-like member, respectively, define an angular spacetherebetween, said edge portions having serrations thereon pointingtoward an apex of the angular space.
 16. A fastening means according toclaim 10 which has been punched from a sheet material made from plastic.17. A fastening means according to claim 10, which has been molded fromplastic material.